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FCC closes in on 800 MHz decision Page 2 of 2 claim that most interference problems could be resolved within a 60-day window through "best practices." One criticism of the Consensus Plan is that it will take 2-3 years to execute, though rebanding of the largest population centers is expected within the first year. The coalition further suggested that not all public-safety entities are behind the Consensus Plan, either because they have yet to experience the interference problems that afflict other portions of the country or because they are concerned rebanding would have a negative impact on their clnrent communications systems. "They aze up in arms over this," Lyon said. She suggested that was the reason the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International [APCO]endorsed the Consensus Plan without putting the matter to a membership vote. Vincent Stile, APCO chairman and police radio communications systems director for the Suffolk County (N.Y.) police department, acknowledged no vote occurred but said it was completely unnecessary, given the exhaustive work of APCO's Spectrum Management Committee. According to Stile, the committee consists of radio frequency engineers from across the country who studied 800 MHz interference for "well over a year and a half 'before making the recommendation to support the Consensus Plan. "This decision wasn't made by the Washington staff, and it wasn't aone-person decision. I take affront to that," Stile said. "The committee worked hard on this and came up with a good solution. `Best practices' is a stop-gap measure, a tool box to fix things after they happen." Charles Werner, deputy chief of the Charlottesville, Va., fire department and a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, which also supports the Consensus Plan, agreed with Stile's assessment. "We've heard a lot about `silver bullets,' but we don't think they exist," Werner said. "The only way [to solve interference] is to put more of the licensees closer to 700 MHz. Anything else is a shot in the dazk." With reporting by MRT senior writer Donny Jackson in Milwaukee. © 2004, Primedia Business Magazines and Media, a PRIMEDIA company. All rights reserved. This article is protected by United States copyright and other intellectual property laws and may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, redissemina[ed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast, directly or indirectly, in any medium without the prior written permission of PRIMEDIA Business Corp. ® 2004 Primedia Business Magazines and Media. All Rights Reserved. For Search Partners Contact Us I For Atl http://iwce-mrt.com/microsites/magazinearticle.asp?mode=print&magazinearticleid=196627... 6/24/04